Package for dispensing interfolded sheets



Aug. W, 1%3. F. L. BROEREN PACKAGE FOR DISPENSING INTERFOLDED SHEETS Filed Nov. 6, 1942 INVENTOR. I FRANK L. BROEREN.

BYW M ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1.943

PACKAGE FOR DISPENSING IN TER- FOLDED SHEETS Frank L; Broeren, Neenah, Wis., assignor to Marathon Paper Mills Company, Rothschild, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 6, 1942, Serial No. 464,817 4 Claims. (01. 206-57) This invention relates to. a package for dispensing interfolded sheets. More specifically, this invention relates to a package comprising a carton of rectangular form having two separate stacks of interfolded sheets, each of said stacks being maintained in aligned relation to a dispensing opening provided on each 'side of the package for removal of one sheet at a time from each of the stacks.

According to the present invention, a package is provided comprising a carton having dispensing openings and containing two separate stacks of interfolded sheets. The package serves not only as the original package for shipment of the sheets contained therein, but also functions as a dispenser for the sheets as they are individually required for use.

Heretofore difficulty has been encountered in packages of this type containing a large single stack of interfolded sheets particularly at the point when only a few of the original sheets of the stack are left within the package. The remainder of the stack within the carton has a tendency to slide out of position so that the sheets are not properly aligned in relation to the dispensing opening-for proper removal therefrom. The present invention has overcome this diificulty in a very simple and efiective manner which will be apparent from the following specification and appended drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the prior art package partially broken away to show a single stack of interfolded sheets contained therein,

Figure 2 is an end view of the same carton partially broken away to indicate the initial position of the stack of interfolded sheets Within the carton,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the residual portion of the stack of sheets within the carton in an improper position for dispensing from the package,

Figure 4' is a perspective view of a package, the end being partially broken away, made in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 5 is an end view of the package of Figure 4, the end being broken away to show the two separate stacks of interfolded sheets positioned within the package,

Figure 6 is a similar end view showing one of the stacks being nearly withdrawn from the carton, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the trays used for supporting one of the individual stacks of interfolded sheets within the package shown in Figure 4.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, there is illustrated a package made according to the prior art for dispensing sheets consisting of a carton of rectangular form having a dispensing slot 4! provided in the front panel H] of the carton and containing a single stack of interfolded sheets 20 which are removed one at a time through the dispensing slot therefrom. As the sheets are withdrawn from the package and the thickness of the stack is diminished from the condition of Figure 2 to that of Figure 3 the stack tends to assume the position indicated in Figure 3 of the drawing, sliding out of position and out of proper alignment with the dispensing slot of the carton thereby preventing proper and efficient removal of the sheets from the package. Very often when this condition occurs the end of the foremost sheet becomes withdrawn inside the carton so that it is not possible to conveniently grasp the foremost sheet for removal from the carton.

According to the present invention, a package is formed from a carton of rectangular form in cross-section made from a blank suitably cut and scored to provide a front wall In, a rear Wall H, a top panel 12, a bottom panel l4, and end panels It. The front and rear panels l0 and H are provided with suitably weakened or scored lines indicated by numerals 40, 46, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 to provide a dispensing opening in the front and rear panels extending longitudinally of the panels for removal of one sheet at a time from each of two stacks of interfolded sheets 20 contained within the carton. When the package is shipped the dispensing openings are closed so as to exclude entry of dust or any other deleterious substances within the package. When the sheets are to be withdrawn the dispensing panel portion 50 and 5| are hinged outwardly along score lines 40 and 42 so as to provide a dispensing opening in each of the front and rear panels of the carton.

The curved score lines 44 and 45 provide convenient means for depressing the portions outlined thereby with the fingers thereby enabling grasping of the panel portions 50 and 5| for hingglig them outwardly to form a dispensing open- Within this carton there are positioned two separate trays having the construction illustrated drawing. The trays may be in Figure 7 of the formed from a single blank suitably cut and scored so as to provide a tray for receiving a stack of interfoldedxsheets. The blank forming the tray is preferably cut along lines I, 2, 3 and 4, scored along lines 35, 38, 31 and 38 so as to form flange portions hingedly connected to the bottom panel 30 of the tray. Two such trays are then placed in back to back relation as illustrated in Figure 5, each of the trays carrying a separate stack of interfolded sheets 20. If desired, the two trays may be fastened to each other as well as to the carton within which they are placed. The bottom panel portion 36 of each tray is preferably of the same dimensions as the front and rear panels In and l I of the carton and coextensive in area therewith. The total width of the hinged flange portions of both trays withinthe carton is preferably equal to the width of the carton so as to just fit therein. As illustrated in Figure 4 the flange portions 32 are adapted to engage the end walls l5 of the carton. Similarly the flange portions 3| and 33 engage the upper and lower panels respectively of the carton. The two trays 30, each containing a separate stack of interfolded sheets, are positioned within the carton which is sealed and closed in any suitable manner. The trays thus constitute a partition for aligning the two separate stacks of interfolded sheets within the carton in proper relation to the dispensing openings to permit smooth and proper removal of the individual sheets through the dispensing openings.

When sheets are to be removed from the package as herein described the dispensing panel portions 50 and 5| are hinged outwardly so as to provide a dispensing opening and the individual sheets A are then withdrawn through the dispensing slot as illustrated in Figure 5. In view of the fact that each of the stack portions within the container are suitably aligned in relation to the dispensing openings in the front and rear panels it is apparent that all the sheets within the stack are easily and properly withdrawn until the very last sheet is removed from the package. According to this construction, therefore, the sheets are at all times properly retained within the package in proper position for dispensing from the dispensing opening. There is no slippage of the stack as it is being used up as previously encountered so that the difficulties hitherto encountered are completely obviated by the present invention.

It is obvious that other modifications may be made within the spirit of this invention and it is intended to include such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package for dispensing interfolded sheets comprising a carton containing two separate stacks of interfolded sheets, said carton formed from a blank cut and scored to form a container of rectangular form in cross-section having a front and rear dispensing panel, a closed top and closed ends and a bottom panel, said front and rear panels being each provided with a dispensing opening extending longitudinally of said panels, two separate trays positioned within said carton in back to back relation, each tray carrying a separate stack of interfolded sheets, each of said trays being adapted to position and align each of the stacks carried therein with respect to said dispensing openings to permit removal f of rectangular form in cross-section having a" front and rear dispensin panel, a closed top and closed ends and a bottom panel, said front and rear panels being each provided with a. dispensing opening extending longitudinally of said panels, two trays positioned within said carton in back to back relation, each tray carrying a stackof interfolded sheets, said trays being provided'with hinged flanged portions for frictionally engaging the top, bottom, and endpanels of said carto'n, each of said trays being adapted to position and align each of the stacks carried therein with respect to said dispensing openings to permit removal of individual sheets through said dispensing openings.

3. A package for dispensing interfolded sheets comprising a carton containing two separate stacks of interfolded sheets, said carton formed from a blank cut and scored to form a container of rectangular form in cross-section having a front and rear dispensing panel, a closed top and closed ends and a bottom panel, said front and rear panels being each provided with a dispensing opening extending longitudinally of said panels, two separate trays positioned within said carton in back to back relation, each of said trays being formed from a separate blank cut and scored to provide a bottom tray portion and hinged flange portions, said bottom tray portion being substantially coextensive in area with the said front and rear dispensing panels, said flange portions being adapted to be bent at right angles to said bottom tray portion and into contact with adjacent panel portions of said carton, each tray carrying a separate stack of interfolded sheets, each of said trays being adapted to position and align each of the stacks carried therein with respect to said dispensing openings to permit removal of individual sheets through said dispensing openings.

4. A package for dispensing interfolded sheets comprising a carton containing two separate stacks of interfolded sheets, said carton formed from a blank cut and scored to form a container of rectangular form in cross-section having a front and rear dispensing panel, a closed top and closed ends and a bottom panel, said front and rear panels being each provided with a dispens ing opening extending longitudinally of said panels, two trays positioned within said carton in backto back relation, each tray carrying a stack of interfolded sheets, said trays being provided with hinged flange portions for engaging the top, bottom and end panels of said carton, the total combined width of said flange portions being substantially equal to the width of said top, bottom and end panels of said carton, each of said trays beingadapted to position and align each of the stacks carried therein in relation to the dispensing openings to permit removal of individual sheets through said dispensing openings.

FRANK L. BROEREN. 

